Family Planning Confidential: A Qualitative Research Study on the Implications of the Affordable Care Act

The Title X program is the only federal program earmarked to support family planning services for low-income and uninsured individuals. It also guarantees access to confidential family planning services regardless of patients' ability to pay, which is particularly important for adolescents and young adults. However, challenges around patient confidentiality became prevalent with the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, as it allowed families to retain dependents on their private insurance policies through the age of 26.

Family Planning Confidential: A Qualitative Research Study on the Implications of the Affordable Care Act, a new study by Altarum published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, provides important evidence that there is an unintended consequence of the ACA that jeopardizes young adult patients and their confidentiality when they seek care. 

The full article can be dowloaded via the Journal of Adolescent Health.